Educational toy



sept. 1s, 1945. Iv G; SEL 2,385,191

EDUCATIONAL TOY Filed April 19, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheetu l Sept. 18, 1945. v. G. ElsEl.

EDUCATIONAL TOY l Filed April 19, `1944. 2 sheets-sheet 2 v Mention;

Patented Sept. 18, 1945 EDUCATIONAL TQY Vernon GfiEsel, New York,'1N.^Y. v Application Apr-i1 19, 1944 Ser-ialNo.-531;,803 Y 10 Claims.

V`.the eyelet, pushing :the lace into one side "of the eyele't and `.pulling the v:lace throughon the other side, after which comes 'the aequal'lyacornplex skill of choosing the --eyelets to vbe used :in succession order to make the desired lacing pattern.

Unlac-ing Visa .'simplerexercise, :as it requires only pulling. Children begin lbei-ng interested :in

unlaeing at :leastwas early :as fourteen moniths.

Theyl-i-ke topractice'unlaoingfoyeriandoverrntil s they understand it. Theirinterest :in lacingfheging later.

The object :inthe present invention is to provide ,a device in which, taf-ter the young child has unlaced the lacings, the mother, teacher orchi-ld may readily V.restore 4the device to its lacedl loondition without actually lacing-fit up again.

Other objects l will .appear in the `vfollow-ing ,specification and drawings, lin which:

AFigure l is -a plan view partly broken -awayaef a deyicefrnade Vin accordance with the present in- Figure .2 is alcross section :on the-line L--Z of .Eigure il, looking in ythe direction oithaarroiy;

,Figure .3 isa perspective view of an element .of Y.the .device ,shown in Figure l and Eig-ure 2er in Figure 5. i

Eigure` 4 is afplan view of .the ele-mentshovvn in Figure 3 showing .a .diierent lacing-,and armed-i .ication in perforations;

.Figure 15 is fa sectional .viewtof amodilcation; Figure 6 is a plan View of a further modincation;

Figure '7 is a longitudinal section `of Figy on the line I-l, showing 'the device unlaced.

The invention comprises aframe l Il and apanel I'I which is adapted to receive laces I2 and which is partially or Wholly removable from Athe frame. In 'the embodiment of thejinvention` shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, lthe `frame If' 'is Ash'ovvn as having an opening at one end I3 for removal 0f the vpanelV II. If desired the vopen end of "the frame may EEhe notched as at "I4 'to `maire it veasier to grasp the panel. As vshown particularly in `Fig. 2, the frame is open on both faces, so that 'both :faces 'l5 and I6 of the panel are accessible. g

The sides I1 and the closed end "I 8 of the frame rare grooved at IQ to receive the panel. if de- :s'ired ya, reduced' 'tongue 20 may ibe providedron :the k'siuesand nn onecen'd. of `the panelpto feooperate/with :the groove '1.9. .Nea-r `the other end ithenpanel may rbeprovided Awith-a thum-bholdrvzl to aid'zin withdrawing thapanelffrom-the frame.

,l-,hlongf'each side `Ao1 the ypanel :is a row of slots .E 2,-2 .forrzreceiyn'ng-t-he laces fas `shown particularly in iigs.l .-1 end. When `the panebis assembled .in the frame, the edges of each slot 22 togetheryvith thecooperating edge 23 of-the frame, :form an eyelet florvtheilace I2. The slots 22 may `he of--cany desired depth. Each slot on one side-s prefep `:aflilydirectlyA opposite acer-responding slot on the I.other side. i tofsay, corresponding l slots eref'at-theiendsofan' imaginary. line drawn across the panelfpeigaendicularto-Iitsisides. `In thergures `the slots are shown :spaced along the side equally from reach othenbut either groupings ,of -the .slots may beused.

Inf desiredpairs of-additional eyelets 24 may be provided to allow, ioridifierent patterns of lao- Asfi'llustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 these fleyelets arespaced inwardly from -the edges rofthe panel l.hetuiritl the inner ends-of the Islots 22 .andere staggered with the slots r22. Means may .be `.provided tor secu-ring the laces to lthe panel such y,as the :holes 2.5, ,through which .the laces may he tied to hold them in the desired position for-lacing and uto .prevent v their .being removed from the `panel-amil:lost As illustrated .in4 Rig. 4. atthe other -endlof the panel .there may, if desired, be .prcyided ^anotherpa-ir nof holesm, to take the place ,ci the nal pair of slots 22 ,through which the lacesmay he threaded .at the completion of the lacing just before .tyinga nal knot ,or how, bi1-t these .holesare optional. ,As shown inFgure `s the holesl Vare aligned with .the inner ends ,of the slots 12.

The. lace ,I2 preferably is rarranged so .as tohaue two. substantially egual .segments 25,121 which may he provided by securing the lace I2 .at its cen- ;ter to the panel. This may be .accomplishedby inserting the lace `through the holes 25 and tying it. AIf Vdesired vthe twosegments may be of difierent colors. In the drawingsone .segment `2.8 .is shown as red and the other .as white.

In .using .the device, the `procedure isas` iollows: i i

-Asstated above, the interest ofV the very young child is in unlacing; therefore, the device preferably :is handed to with the panel in place in Ithe trame, and with vthe .lace laced up in Va conventional manner and having itsfreeends tiedin-a bev/ When thus handed to the child, the laces may be laced either in lthe eyelets formed-ahy' slots 2,-2 aslshownzin Eigs 1,- 2fand 3 for in the eyelets 24 asshown ,fin Fig. 4, pr into -may'be lifted.

vthe laces through each eyelet, the teacher grasps the thumb hold 2| and slides the panel out of the frame. Then she quickly winds the lace around the panel into the slots and ties a bow,

slides the panel back into the frame and the toy is ready for the child to unlace again. Forthe with not only the panel II, but also the ends 29 and 3| fully inserted in their respective grooves. In learning to unlace', he needs access to only one side of the panel because all he needs to do is to pull the laces toward him. His concentration is aided by the fact that only on one face of this closed-frame does he iind the laces.

However, when he has mastered the movement of pulling toward himself, the ends 29 and 3| may be removed if desired, so that he will have access to both faces of the panel with his hands, although he can see only one face. In this stage he can learn to unlace by either pulling toward A himself or pulling away from himself.

lacing pattern illustrated in Figs. land 3, one j segment for example, 2'| is wound spirally around the panel being received first'in a slot on 'one'4v edge of the panel and then in the next succeeding slot on the other edge of the panel with the results that alternate slots on each edge are unoccupied, the unoccupied slots being staggered. Then the other segment 26 of the lace is similarly Wound, but in the opposite direction into the slots which were first left unoccupied. If a different lacing pattern is desired the winding can be suitably varied.

Later, when the child is Vold enough to learn lacing, he can use the" device in a number of different ways.

He can learn to lace using both the eyelets 22 formed by the frame and the slots and the eyelets 24, or he can learn to lace selectively, using only the eyelets 22 or only the eyelets 24.

In using the device illustrated in Figures l and 2 the child has access to bothV faces I5 and I6 of the panel, as the frame is open on both faces. Thus in unlacing or in lacing the child can turn the frame rst to one face to see and touch the laces and eyelets on that face, andthen to the opposite face as he works from the opposite face.

Figure shows a modied form of the device in which the frame comprises a box 28 of which the panel II forms the top. Thus the frame is closed at one facelb` of thepanel in this ein-- bodiment.

Likethe frame I9, thebox 28 is grooved at I9 along the inside of an end 29 and of both sides 39 near the top edge thereof, so that the panel II can` be slid out;of the box like frame 28, in order that the teacher can re-wind the laces, after they have been unlaced by the child. A A

If desired the box maybe made so that not only the top I I, but also one or both ends 29 and 3| may be removed, so that the -childs hands may have access to both faces of the panel. As shownin Fig. 5 each end of each side` 39 is lgrooved at 32- to `receive the end pieceV 29 or the end piece 3| of the box. One end 3| is preferably made shorter than the other so that when it is inserted in the box, as shown in Fig. 5, its top will be lower than the groove I9, in order not to interfere with grasping the panel II and removing it from the box-like frame 28.

The box may be of any desired shape. In the preferred form the grooves 32 slant diagonally from about the corner of the top edge 33 of side downwardly and inwardly to the bottom edge 34, with the result that ends 29 and 3| slant inwardly from top to bottom, thus making it easy for the child to hold the box.l The slanting ends in effect constitute handles by which the box l In using the device shown in Fig. 5, the child when learning to unlace, preferably uses the box Later when the child is learning to lace, and

Amust use alternate pulling and pushing movements which lacing requires, the needs to have access to'both sides of the object containing the laces through which he is to lace.

In the embodiment of Figure 5, therefore, for the lacing exercise, he can use the frame 28 with the ends 29 and 3| removed, so that he can Yreach under the panel to push or to draw the lace through Yeither the eyelets 24. or through the eyelets 22 formed by the cooperation of the frame 28 and the edges of slots 22 of the panel. Alternatively, if while lacing the' child needs to have access to both sides of the panel not only with his hands but also with his eyes, he can remove the panel from the frame andluse the eyelets 24 for the lacing.

In Fig. 6 is illustrated a device similar to the device shown in Figure 1 except that the panel III), instead of beingwholly removable from the frame |09 is only partially removable therefrom, the panel being secured to the frame |09 by any suitable means. In this figure the panel is hinged to the frame by means of a pivot 35, but it is understood that any suitable connection may be used.

At the other end, frame |99 is provided with a stop 36 to serve as a seat for the panel and to prevent it swinging beyond the frame |99, rllhe panel and frame are provided with any suitable cooperating latch means such'as a pin 31 and cup 38 for holding the panel and frame assembled with each other while the child is lacing or unlacing the device. A spring 39 tends to extend the pin into engagement with the cup, permitting partia1 separation of the panel from the frame in order that the parent, teacher or child may wind the laces up again.

In this embodiment each eyelet 229 for receiving the laces is formed by the edge of a semicircular slot 22| in the side of panel II9 and a complementary semi-circular slot 222 in the cooperating frarne |99.

In thek frame |99 are provided supplemental pairs of eyelets 49 and 4I which may be used in the lacing if desired.

It is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated and described. Other modifications within the scope of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1.v A lacing toy comprising a frame and cooperating means having slots extending inwardly from its edges, whereby when the means is framed the slots form parts of eyelets for laces, said means being at least partially removable from said frame.

2. A lacing toy comprising a frame and cooperating removable means having laces, said -meanshaving slots extending inwardly from its edges, whereby when the means is framed the slots and frame form eyelets for said laces.

3. A lacing toy comprising a frame, a panel at least partially removable from said frame and having slots extending inwardly from its edges whereby when the frame and the panel are assembled the edges of the panel surrounding the slots and adjoining walls of the frame constitute eyelets for lacing and whereby when the panel is removed from the frame laces may be placed in laced position by winding.

4. A lacing toy comprising a frame closed on one face and cooperating means having slots extending inwardly f rom its edges, whereby when the means is framed the slots form parts of eyelets for laces, said means being at least partially removable from said frame.

5. A lacing toy comprising a frame closed on one face and cooperating means having slots extending inwardly from its edges, whereby when the means is framed the slots and frame form eyelets for laces, said means being at least partially removable from said frame, said frame having removable ends whereby access may be had to both faces of said panel.

6. A lacing toy comprising a frame and cooperating means having slots extending inwardly from its edges, whereby when the means is framed the slots and frame form eyelets for laces, said means being at least partially removable from said frame said frame comprising a box and said framed means comprising the top of said box.

7. A lacing toy comprising a frame and cooperating means having slots extending inwardly from its edges, whereby when the means is framed the slots and frame form eyelets for laces. said means being at least partially removable from said frame said frame comprising a box and said framed means comprising the top thereof, said box having sloping removable ends, whereby access may be had to both faces of said top.

8. A lacing toy comprising a frame element and an element at least partially removable therefrom, cooperating edges of said elements forming eyelets for laces.

9. A lacing toy with selective eyelets comprising a frame element and an element at least partially removable therefrom, cooperating edges of said elements forming at least some of the eyelets for laces.

10. A lacing toy comprising a frame and cooperating means having slots extending inwardly from its edges, whereby when the means is framed the slots and frame form eyelets for laces, said means being at least partially removable from said frame, and means to prevent the accidental removal of the rst named means from the frame during use.

VERNON G. EISEL. 

